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aorta

Pronunciation: /eɪˈɔːtə/

Translate aorta | into German | into Italian

Definition of aorta

noun

the main artery of the body, supplying oxygenated blood to the circulatory system. In humans it passes over the heart from the left ventricle and runs down in front of the backbone.

Derivatives

aortic

Origin:

mid 16th century: from Greek aortē (used in the plural by Hippocrates for the branches of the windpipe, and by Aristotle for the great artery), from aeirein 'raise'